- Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon arrives in Bahrain today (Sunday 21 April) before travelling to the UAE.
- The Minister will visit the UK's Naval Support Facility in Bahrain where the UK has supported operations against illegal and dangerous Iran-backed Houthi attacks against international shipping.
- During his visit, he is expected to meet with counterparts to discuss the situation in Israel and Gaza, regional security, and the Red Sea.
The UK Minister of State for the Middle East has arrived in the Gulf today (Sunday 21 April) for talks on upholding regional security and reaffirming the UK's commitment to tackling the dangerous threat posed by Iran-backed proxies and partners.
On his first stop in Bahrain, Lord Ahmad will visit the UK Maritime Component Command at the Naval Support Facility from where the UK is supporting Operation Prosperity Guardian and Operation Poseidon Archer alongside international partners.
The operations have sought to deter Houthi aggression and protect international shipping from the Houthis' reckless & indiscriminate attacks against commercial and military vessels, including the UK contributions to the international taskforce from Royal Navy ships HMS Diamond and HMS Richmond.
In meetings with Bahrain's National Security Advisor, Foreign Minister and Interior Minister, Lord Ahmad will also discuss the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza, reiterating the UK's efforts towards securing an immediate pause in the fighting to get more life-saving aid into Gaza faster and through as many routes as possible.
The Minister will then travel to the UAE where he is expected to have further discussions on the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza, including the UAE and UK humanitarian response, and continue to encourage a de-escalation of regional tensions; as well as efforts to support the peace process in Sudan.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for Middle East, said:
At this critical period, we must do all we can - including working with key partners - to strengthen regional stability and security and push for de-escalation.
The UK, Bahrain and the UAE are close partners and they have a crucial role to play in the region and I look forward to discussing our ongoing efforts towards alleviating the dire humanitarian suffering in Gaza by getting more aid in through as many routes as possible and to get hostages out.
We must also work closely together to address the threat posed by the Iran-backed Houthis in the Red Sea and make progress towards peace and security in the Middle East, most importantly securing an irreversible pathway to delivering a two-state solution of Israel and Palestine.
